Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Dry conditions, limited stock of surface water and over-exploited groundwater makes water supply a Herculean task but the near futuremight see a change with projects and collective efforts in conservation of available resources.

On Friday, BWSSB chairman P B Ramamurthy listed a few initiatives at the inaugural of the two-day workshop of Indo-German water network and BWSSB. “It’s unfortunate there are no dual pipelines in the city. But, we’re making a start with the new layouts. They get water only after 2012 but they’ll have separate lines for inflow potable and non-potable/treated water,” he said.

The board also looks at better management of water resources through a few amendments to the BWSSB Act, 1964. The suggestions include making rainwater harvesting mandatory and making punishment more stringent for over-exploitation of water resources.

There’ll be a thrust on alternative sources of fresh water -- one is to get treated used water into regular supply. The board has also taken up awareness campaigns. “We’ve set up a visitors’ centre at two places to spread awareness on reused water,” he said.In addition to the 14 Sewage Treatement Plants, the board plans nine new plants only for the newly added BBMP areas. The city generates more than 700 MLD waste water per day but the old pipelines do not get all of it into the STPs and a majority of it also drains into the storm water drains. “We’ve already started replacing old pipelines and also increasing their size. This will ensure taking up more tertiary water into the plants to be treated and reducing pressure on potable water,” Ramamurthy explained. The measures initiated to rejuvenate 29 lakes and tanks across the city were among other initiatives discussed.